The present invention relates generally to wire harnesses and more particularly to a method and means for securing a wire harness to an interior trim panel of a vehicle.
Current vehicles include many wire harnesses secured to interior trim panels, such as door panels and headliners, for operating interior lights, such as a dome light or lights in a vanity mirror in a visor. Further, interior door trim panels include wire harnesses routed to user activated switches, such as for power windows, power locks, mirrors, etc.
Each wire harness comprises a plurality of wires which are bundled to form a trunk in a plurality of branches extending from the trunk. Typically, each of the branches includes an electrical connector at an outer end. During assembly of the wire harness, the wire bundles ar are held together in an assembly jig, which includes a plurality of wire supports supporting the wires along each of the main trunk and each of the branches. Each wire is placed onto the assembly jig onto the appropriate wire supports, i.e. from a first branch to the wire harness, along the main trunk and through a second branch, typically at an opposite end of the wire harness. Electrical connectors are then connected to the outer ends of the wires at the branches. The wires are then wrapped with tape along the entire length of the main trunk and each of the branches.
A wire harness is placed on an interior trim panel prior to installation of the trim panel into the vehicle. The main trunk and each of the branches are positioned in appropriate locations on the trim panel. Then, the wire harness is secured to the trim panel with an adhesive, such as a hot glue, which secures the main trunk and branches of the wire harness to the trim panel. This method is time consuming and the adhesive is expensive. Further, it is difficult to secure the wire harness to the trim panel consistently and reliably. Further, manufacture of the wire harness as described above is time consuming and difficult. Wrapping the tape along the entire length of the main trunk and each of the branches is a labor intensive process.